Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-09-24
SAUNDERS VS.. BEAN.
James W, Saunders, the Alleged
Brother Of the Late Col. Tom
Bean, Reaches Bonham.
lie Tells Very straightforward Story
which, if False, Is Host Admir-.
ably COnc0ct2ds
3 WIN Satd to be in Existence Giving Half
the Estate TO the Brother ana the
Other HaH TO Col, Beams Eegross
THERE ARE MILLIONS IN II.

THERE ARE MILLIONS IN IT.
Special to the Gazette.
BoNHAM, TN, Sept. Yesterdays
exposing the coming events in
the notorious Bean mystery have caused
excitement and universal
comment, which has been Ieesened IN 70
small degree by the arrival to-day OF Mr.
James w. Saunders CT Oxford, Miss, the
reputed brother of the late Colonel
Baan, and heir OF this vast estate
which is now SO famous in the
United States. Mr.. Saunders comes
with hrst-class certificates OF character
He was accompanied by his son-in-law,
DR.. A. w. Short of Glory, Lamar county,
Texas, member OF the North Texas
Medical Association. Another important
witness in the case is in the city. 1t is
DR.. J. J. Mcbride OF Montague county,
brother iu-laW Of j. NJ Saunders. Learn
ing Of the arrival OF these gentlemen, now
the cynosure of sll eyes, your reporter re-
paired to their stopping place and stated
his mission. From Mr.. Saunders and DR..
Short
THE FOLLOWING HISTORY
OF Colonel Besn was elected. Mr. Saun-
ders said in substance: The person
known as Colonel T. G. Bean Hassimy
brother whose name was z. l.. Saunders.
He was eyed seVenty-siX at his death,
being two years my senior. He was
Tennessean by birth, our family con-
sisting OF three brothers and q sister. My
other brother Claiborne died in Georgia,
my sister dying in Texas. While engaged
in surveying ont OoiaD county, Tenn,
now Lake county, in 1886, my
brother Thomas, then aged twentY-iour
or twenty-five years, committed z muir
der which caused him to become refu-
gee. One of the chain carriers, named
Crutchfald, became enraged when my
brother reprimauded him for not having
accomplished q certain amount OF work
and struck OF Tom, who knocked him
down with Jacob staff, striking him
twice after he was down, fracturiug his
skull, from the effect Of which
HE DIED.
+ The next morning my brother fed. tax
ing with him negro boy named Alex,
VINO witnessed the killing My brother
took refuge on Bean island, in the Missis-
sippi river, sending Alex to me for money
and aid in making his escape. l was then
b.,
taking & skiff in which l rowed Tom to
Gains Landing. Ark. When on the island
in the presence OF Alex | advised MIN TO
take the name of Thomas Lawson
but he persisted IN taking MS first name,
the name of the island Dean. Leaving
my brother in the bottoms near Gaines
Landing 1 returned to O!d Commerce sad
sold negro girl for $500, and returning
gave Tom 500, he giving me Alex and d
younger negro ne owned, stating that
$40 WAS
SUFFICIENT FOR his PURPOSE.
A reward is now offered for information
OF Alexis whereabouts. He is supposed
to be IN Tallahachie county, Miss. Iesv-
! ing Gaines' landing my brother fed to
| Camden. Ark, thence to Fayetteville, the
same state, and thence to his future home
in Fannin county. Our first meeting was
in St. Louis in 1854 or 1855,
then again in Austin, Tex, II
1860, when l gave Tom Sl1O(
with which TO perfect some land titles
! We met again in Bonham in 1854, es is
remembered by some citizens of this
town. In 1872 sent Alex to BOnham fOI
! $500, l being in Strengthened cIrCum
stances, which Tom sent me sewing i
in the wsistbsnd of Alexis breecnes
After my meeting with my brother il
Bonham in 1886 visited West Texas anC
met my brother again ct Gainesville
Tex, in the La Clede hotel l believe
While in Gainesville, my brother ststec
that if he died first he would will me
HALF OF HIS ESTATE
which he then estimated at about 500,
600, &nd the other hall to his negroes an
favored white friends; but if l died frs
he proposed to will my psrt to my chill
dren. then told him OF my daughter
residence in Lamar county, which grentI
excited him, he fearing his identity nigh
be discovered through that source.
have no knowledge of my father sine
1882, four years before Tom killet
Crutchheld My father started to Mort
Carolina to collect some money, and wa
never again hesrd of by me
! suppose he was murdered II the ma
buried in Bonham under the name 0
, Bean wss my brothers. father he was gu
father My brother failed ever to mer
ton the fact to me. IS to the man How
ard Of San Antonio, know nothing. b
is in no way related TO US. l have q
letters from my brother, IS his constaL
5 fear OF detection brought
! REQUEST TO DESTROY THEM,
! with which complied. These are abOJ
! all the circumstances, Mr.. Reporter, tn:
>. l believe care to state at present Wit
, out advising with my counsel"
4 DR.. J. j. Mcbride was approached bl
: refused to talk upon the subject. On Il
:. outside we hear that he will swear to Il
q identity Of Tom Bean, stating that h
: name is 4. Saunders, snd tina. his wi
o w.s sister of Colonel Bean.
l.. Captain T. j. Gates. whom il is asser
q ed will testify that Colonel Bean yes
: ago recited to him the story reiterated
Saunders, was searched for, but cou
not be found high nor low.
Our next quest was for James Gsss,
-, AFORMER SLAVE
=, of Besn's, who, it was rumored, knew
81 the Whereabouts of the missing vi
"a He wss located ST the residence OF I
IN late Colonel Bean, and is s big, bul
ID negro fifty or sixty years OF age. On
t, first effort to induce n
L. to talk he was as mute as an Egypt
d. mummy, only displaying his ivory to 0
is queries. An explanation Of our ident
and our o9icct inspired confidence a